Busy Busy Weekend

We started our super busy weekend off bright and early on Saturday morning when we left home at 7:45 am headed to Jackson (about 2 hours away) for sweet Emerson's first birthday party.  The girls had so much fun playing with their cousins, and they DID NOT want to leave to go home.  Emerson had a Winter ONEderland themed birthday party...sooo cute!  I was horrible and forgot my camera at home so I didn't get to snap any pics, but I'm sure Emerson's Mommy will be posting adorable pics of the party soon so take a peak at her blog here!

After leaving Jackson, we rushed back home and had less than an hour to change clothes, drop the kids off at their Mimi's and head to Columbus (an hour away) for Wayne's company dinner.

I, along with some of my best girl friends, sang at the dinner so again, in my nervousness, I forgot my camera lol!  The dinner was great though, and we made it through singing just fine even though I was scared to death to provide entertainment for that many people!  We even stayed afterward and sang some karaoke! Fun times!

I'll try to post pics as soon as they become available to me.  Really hate I forgot my camera!



TGIF!! Whoo hoo!  Looking forward to a busy but fun weekend!  Tomorrow our family is heading to Jackson for sweet Emerson's first birthday party.  The girls are super excited about playing with their cousins.  We have to leave Jackson, drop the girls off, change clothes, and then Wayne and I are headed to his company dinner tomorrow night where I have to sing (yikes!).  We always have a great time at the dinner, but I'm nervous about singing there.  Thankfully, I'm not singing alone..I have 3 of my best gal friends singing with me so it should be fun!

I'll share highlights from both events as soon as I can!  Hope you all have a FABULOUS weekend!  Join up on some hops today and meet some new friends! :)

Jessica

Friday Blog Hops:



Reprieve from Jury Duty...Yay!

Photo courtesy of Google Images

Yesterday I sat through a jury selection process from 8:30 to noon, and boy was it the longest 3 1/2 hours ever!  The benches were hard as stone, I was starving, and it was just plain boring.  We did have some occasional laughs though, and it was interesting to hear some of the excuses people use to TRY to get out of jury duty!

We were told to be in our assigned seats by 8:30 am.  At 9, the clerk came in to call the role.  Two individuals decided not to show up for some reason and officers were sent to "collect" them.  Hmmm... We were ready to start the selection process in a civil case between two business owners when they decided they'd just settle outside of court.  At this point I was thinking great, I came up here for nothing, but my musings were put to rest when the judge declared there was another case to try.  This one was a criminal case involving a 3rd offense shoplifter.  After 3 hours of being questioned by the judge and attorney for each side, I was dismissed.  Phew! I was the 5th juror and everyone else sitting on my row was picked for the jury except me.  How did I get so lucky you ask?  I happened to be the neighbor of one of the police officers testifying in the case. :)  I'm so glad too because those poor jurors didn't even get to start the case until after lunch and were there the rest of the afternoon while I got to have lunch with my sister and spend time with my Mom and girls.

I luckily didn't have to go back today, and I'm hoping they won't need me tomorrow.  Don't get me wrong, the teacher in me believes it is everyone's civic duty to serve as a juror if need be, but in my opinion, they could come up with a better process for selection.  It takes forever just to get started and to pick a jury!  By the time the jury is picked, no one really wants to sit through a trial!  This is the exact reason so many people dread being called to jury duty.  Oh well, at least it's for only a week at a time!

I've got jury duty again tomorrow, and I'm not looking forward to it.  Thought I'd join up on some hops tonight since I won't be around in the morning.  Link up on some of these and meet some new friends!  Hope to see you there!

Wednesday Blog Hops:



Breakfast with Mommy

Mommy got stuck with Jury duty this week...for the 3rd time in just a couple of years! No fun! Anyway, after dropping Presley off with Uncle Brent for the morning, Mommy and Makenzie decided to make a stop at Shipley's Donuts for some breakfast before dropping Makenzie off at school.  Makenzie said she needed a Mommy date, and I was more than happy to spend that extra quality time with my big girl.  She decided on a chocolate sprinkle donut and chocolate milk (oh the sugar!), and loved every bit of it!

Winning the Battle

So far so good at our house.  Presley has recuperated from the stomach virus, and the rest of us have avoided it!  Huge thank you to all of you who said prayers for us!  We haven't been up to much the past week due to Presley being sick, but Makenzie did celebrate her 100th day of school with a mini party and a movie today.  She was really excited about that! 

The puppy continues to be a huge hit at our house, and the girls are having so much fun playing with him- especially Presley.  He's become quite the companion to her while her sister is at school each day.  She adores him, and I love to watch them play with each other.

We've been making lots of plans here lately...trying to decide when to vacation!  My parents are taking the entire family to Gatlinburg, TN this year, and we've been trying to find a date that will work for everyone.  With eight adults to work around that's not really easy.  Everyone's work/school schedules are so crazy that it's been a chore just to pick a time to go.   Wayne and I already have a trip planned to Minnesota in August (yay!) so we were hoping to space the trips out a bit. I have a headache already just thinking about it.  BUT, I will not complain.  Two vacations in one year is a definite plus!  I am very appreciative to my parents for planning a trip for us (and for footing the bill!).  The girls are going to have soo much fun.

Where is your family planning to vacation this year?

Jessica 

Sleep Deprived and Rambling...that's what I do best!

The Stomach Virus has come to visit us...poor Presley has been sick for the last two days now.  I feel so bad for her, and at the same time, I'm praying the rest of us don't get it!

Makenzie is usually the one that catches everything, and Presley rarely gets sick so I was surprised to say the least.  I've sent Makenzie to school as usual (hoping she's not carrying the yucky virus right along with her), and today, right in the middle of me cleaning up a poopy mess, I got a phone call from the school saying Makenzie was sick and to please come pick her up.

Just great! While I was standing there with carpet cleaner (thank you Sol-u-mel) in hand and Presley in the bathtub, I had a mini freak out about how in the world I would get to the school to get Makenzie when poor Presley couldn't make it 30 minutes without ruining her clothes!

No sooner had I started to panic than the phone rang again.  It was the school.  They'd called the wrong parent, and Makenzie wasn't sick at all. What?? Did they know how stressed I was? How sleep deprived I am?  I think I asked her twice if she was sure Makenzie was fine LOL.  She assured me she was and apologized for the misunderstanding.  Good grief!

At least we've dodged the bullet for now...I definitely don't need two girls sick at once!  I am going to continue to hope that the rest of us don't get it, but you could always help us out by praying that we don't either! I know I am!  Thanks in advance!

Jessica

Meet Me Monday- Blog Hop

Linking up with Never Growing Old for the Meet Me Monday Hop!  Join in and meet some new people today!

1. Do you like your ice cream in a dish, waffle cone, pretzel cone, sugar cone or cake cone?

I usually eat my ice cream in a dish, but I love the occasional waffle cone.


2. Do you read the newspaper daily? No, although I would if we had a subscription.  I do read it every Tuesday when I visit my Grandparents :)

3. Marinara or meat sauce? Umm...I'd have to say Marinara.  I'm not a big sause person, but I'll occasionally eat marinara with cheese sticks as an appetizer (but I'd rather just have Ranch).

4. Last time you cried?  I can't really remember, but it was probably just a few days ago.  I've been really emotional lately so who knows.
5. What word/phrase do you find really annoying? Any silly phrase tends to get on my nerves after a while lol...I don't like babytalk or phrases like cool beans. It doesn't bother me for other people to say them really, I just don't care for them. :)

Celebrating the Big 5!

Makenzie's 5th birthday was great! We had cupcakes with her class at school, and then she spent some time at Dandy Doodles painting with her Ya-ya.  She came home for her favorite dinner cooked by her Daddy, and we ended the night with a HUGE surprise!  Mommy and Daddy got her the puppy she'd been begging for!  GREAT surprise! 

To see pics of her fun day AND the new  puppy look here!

My Baby Will be 5 Tomorrow!

As I sit here tonight, I find myself thinking back to the night before Makenzie was born.  It doesn't seem like five years have already gone by.  I can still remember exactly how I felt.  I remember the excitement of welcoming our first baby into the world, I remember the nervousness that went along with not knowing what to expect, and I remember the utter joy of knowing I was about to become a mom.  The night before she was born I hardly slept because I knew we would be going to the hospital first thing the next morning to start the induction process.  Our baby was coming! It was completely planned- no surprises for us (I hoped). I'm so type A that I like to have every little detail of my life planned out so you can imagine my relief when the doctor scheduled a date to have our baby LOL.  I don't like waiting around for things to happen on their own normally so this was great for us!

We left for the hospital the next morning, and by that afternoon we had the most perfect little girl I had ever seen.  She was the light of our lives then, and she still is today.  She has brought so much laughter and love to our lives, and we are so blessed to be her parents.

This has been an emotional year of firsts for me as a parent.  Makenzie started 4-year old kindergarten and along with that came independence and drama.  She no longer needs me as much as she used to.  She wants to hang out with her friends instead of me.  She has to pick out her own clothes.  BUT, she is still my little girl whether she likes it or not, and I know she loves her Mommy so very much.

I am so very proud of my precious girl.  I have to share this with you guys.  Last night as Wayne finished reading the girls a bible story and we were tucking them into bed, Presley said she didn't want to say her prayers.  Before I could say anything, Makenzie was by her sister's side.  She placed her little hand over Presley's and said, "I'll help you Sissy, pray after me."  Makenzie then went on to lead her sister in the sweetest prayer, stopping every few words so that Presley could repeat them after her.  She then said her own prayer, and we tucked them in.  Needless to say, Wayne and I were both in tears as we hugged and kissed them goodnight. 

Makenzie,

Mommy and Daddy are so proud of you.  We see Christ working in your life, and we can't wait to see what you do for Him as you grow older.  We love you sweet girl!

Makenzie and her Daddy on the day she was born

Enjoying the Snow!

Who woke up at 6:30 this morning excited about the snow? Not the girls, but Daddy!  He woke me up asking if I would make pancakes and get the kids bundled up to play in the snow lol.  I think he was more excited than they were!

He rigged them up a "sled" using a piece of plastic attached by ropes to the back of his 4-wheeler and pulled them around.  Redneck sled, I know!  But in MS, we don't see snow often enough to purchase a real one!  The girls had a blast though, and didn't want to leave their sled to go back inside even though they were freezing!

Throwing snowballs at each other- they were more like "iceballs" since we had a layer of sleet over the snow.

They LOVED their "sled" and didn't want to get off!  I think Daddy pulled them for well over an hour!

Some of our neighbors had started building a snowman so the girls jumped in to help for a few minutes.  They didn't stick around long enough to see him finished though!  They wanted to ride some more!

Makenzie's 5th Birthday Party

My big girl is turning 5 on the 13th, and I can't believe it!  She's growing up WAY too fast- I don't like it at all!  Gone are the days when she let me do everything for her, gone are the days when I could pick out her clothes for her.  She has become an independent, sassy little thing who has very strong opinions!  SHE has to pick out her own clothes, SHE wants to do her own hair, and SHE thinks she's big enough to wear make-up!  Oh my!  She's into "big girl' jewelry, peace signs, and cute headbands.  She loves sparkly clothes and shoes, and she LOVES to shop. 

I took her to Claire's the other day (her favorite store), and I turned around to find her standing at the counter with both hands full of things.  I asked her what she was doing, and she replied, "I'm shopping!"  I laughed and told her that I could see that, but I didn't think she needed everything she had in her hands.  She just looked at me and said, "Well, Mom you have money!"  By this point everyone in the store was giggling, and I had to explain to her that while, yes, I did have money, that didn't mean that she could always buy anything she wanted.  I then proceeded to give in to her and let her get what she wanted...yep, she won!  LOL...I couldn't resist her sassy little self, and she reminds me so much of me!  I had to agree that the things she picked out were pretty cute!  Before you think I'm teaching my child to spend frivolously, let me say, she did have to use a gift card that she'd received for Christmas to purchase the majority of her items.  What did my little diva end up with you ask?  She got herself a peace sign purse, a peace sign scarf, dangly earrings, and a super cute headband!

For her 5th birthday party, she really wanted to skate so we invited all her friends for some fun at Skate Oddessy on Saturday for some early celebrating.  She had sooo much fun! 

Eating pizza with all her friends



The birthday cake!  It was soo cute! I'll post a better pic of it when I find time to download it off my camera, but Hailey at Cups-N-Cakes did an AWESOME job on it!  Makenzie LOVED it, and it was super yummy!

Playing Limbo with her friends

Makenzie and Addison skating

Thanks to everyone who came and made Makenzie's day so special!  She had a GREAT time with all of her friends, and on the way home, she was already planning her 6th birthday party LOL.  Slow down little girl!

Her "real" birthday is on Thursday, and we'll be celebrating with cupcakes at school so there will be more pics to come!

Jessica

Ramblings of a Stay-at-home Mom got the Stylish Blogger Award!

Huge thanks to Frugal But Not Cheap for sharing the Stylish Blogger Award with me!  I am so very flattered to have received it! This is my very first blog award, and I am tickled pink!  Thanks again!

Now, I'm told there are rules involved with receiving this award. 

1. Thank & link back to the person who awarded you this.

2. Share 7 things about yourself.

3. Pay it forward to 10 recently discovered great bloggers.

4. Contact those bloggers and tell them about their award.

Here are 7 things about myself:

1.  I'm a 28- year old stay-at-home Mom with a bachelor's degree in Marketing.

2.  I'm 6 hours away from completing a Master's degree in Secondary Education.

3.  I started a home business a year ago and have loved every minute of it.

4.  I LOVE to read (I'll read anything I can get my hands on).

5.  My husband is my rock.  I've loved him since I was a little girl- we've been together for 14 years and married for nearly nine.

6.  I have two precious little girls that I adore!

7.  This very minute, I'm gazing outside watching the snow/sleet mix that is accumulating outside...yuck!

Here are the 10 blogs I'd like to share this award with:

1.  Insights of An Inspired Mom

2.  Call Me Laura Jane

3.  If You Think Our Hands Our Full, You Should See Our Hearts

4.  It's All Good in Mommyhood!

5.  Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas

6.  Moms Helping Others

7.  Raising Future Leaders

8.  The Not-so-Secret Confessions of a First Time Mom

9.  The Type A Housewife

10.  We Don't Have it All Together, But Together We Have it All!

Thanks again Melissa at Frugal But Not Cheap for sharing this award with me!

Jessica

New Blog Hop!

Are you interested in meeting new people and reading some great blogs?  If so, link up to this super cute new blog hop! 

 Life with the Lebedas, Call Me Laura Jane and Mommy Moment have created the

So link up now and have some fun!

My two girls are so different in their tastes usually.  Makenzie, my oldest, will be  5  next week and loves fruits and veggies, but won't eat muffins or oatmeal.  Guess it's a texture thing!  Her favorite food is strawberries!

My youngest, Presley, is 3 and wants anything sweet, loves carbs of all kinds, and her favorite meal consists of chicken nuggets and french fries.  She doesn't really care for fruits and veggies although she will eat them when told to do so.  I'm going to have to really watch this one and make sure she forms good eating habits! lol 

Both girls LOVE to help Mommy cook!

 

Blog Hop!

The awesome gals at Living on Love and Cents and Flutterbys and Frogs had a great idea to start a blog hop to help us find other Christian women to connect with so, of course, I HAD to link up and share it!  Feel free to join in the fun as well.  Visit and follow some new blogs and meet some new friends!



"May the God of hope fill you all with joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13

Looking Back on 2010

2010 was such a great year that I wanted to take a few minutes and reflect on some of the great things we did this year.  Here are the highlights...enjoy!

January:

At the beginning of January, I made one of the best decisions of my life and started a home-business.  I joined an awesome team and have been able to create income for myself as a stay-at-home mom. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE working for this company!

On the 13th, Makenzie turned 4!  We celebrated in style with a tea party and fashion show.  She had a blast and loved getting all dressed up.  It's hard to believe she'll be 5 in less than 2 weeks!

March:

Daddy brought home a calf that had to be bottle-fed. It was a great experience for Makenzie and Presley.  They named the calf Buddy, and helped feed him every day.



May:

In May, we celebrated Presley's 3rd birthday with an ice cream sundae party and some slip-n-sliding.

We also took a family vacation to Panama City Beach, FL.  We had a GREAT time, and the girls loved every minute of being on the beach...just look at how relaxing it was for them!

June:

In June, we celebrated Wayne's birthday and our anniversary with a weekend away in Natchez.  It was so nice to have some alone time with each other and remember why we fell in love in the first place.  While we were there, I fell in love with Natchez.  So much history, such beautiful homes!  I was in heaven!

July:

In July, we welcomed a new addition to our family.  My nephew, Brennan, was born.  He's the first little boy in our family so we were extremely excited.  My niece and nephew definitely have my heart.

August:

My big girl started 4 year old kindergarten, and it about killed me!  I thought I was excited for her until I dropped her off at the school and drove away.  I cried for the rest of the day and watched the clock until time to pick her up.  Thank God she enjoys school!

I also attended my first Melaleuca convention in August.  I flew all the way to Utah by myself (my first time flying), and I loved every minute of it.  I had such a great time and LOVED getting to meet some of the other gals on my team.  I CAN'T WAIT until this year's convention!  Minneapolis here I come! :)

Well, that's how the first half of this past year played out...the latter half is more recent so I thought I'd spare you.  If you'd like to see what we did from September on, feel free to look back in our past posts.  It's been an AWESOME year with lots of firsts for us.  We can't wait to see what 2011 will hold! 

Jessica